Doha Film Institute (DFI)

Doha Film Institute is dedicated to film appreciation, education, and building a dynamic film industry in Qatar that focuses on nurturing regional storytellers while being entirely global in its scope. With culture, community, education, and entertainment at its foundation, Doha Film Institute serves as an all-encompassing film hub in Doha, as well as a resource for the region and the rest of the world. We firmly believe in the power of film to change hearts and minds, and our motto reflects the sentiment that “Film is Life”.

Using our own in-house production unit, collaborations with foreign filmmakers and rising talent from our educational programs, we develop and produce original stories for the web, television, radio, and film.

Doha Film Institute is offering careers and training for people with a variety of interests and backgrounds. The work is diverse, engaging, and continually evolving, with many opportunities for you to apply your skills in ways you might never have imagined.

Doha Film Institute has established a number of strategic cultural partnerships with leading international organizations, as well as its own Doha-based programs, to give filmmakers a chance to participate in top quality workshops and training. DFI Financing aims to support filmmakers in their storytelling, unlock creativity, connect regional and international talent and create a sustainable film financing model in Qatar.

Doha Film Institute’s film funding initiatives offer creative and financial support to filmmakers based in Qatar and around the world, helping them to unlock their artistry, manage their productions effectively and make high-quality films.

The Institute supports emerging voices from Qatar and around the world and provides them with creative and financial assistance so they can translate their stories into viable film projects. It is our hope to discover quality film projects that have regional relevance, and that contribute to a diverse slate of engaging films. Financial support is made available in two ways:

The Doha Film Institute Grants Programme, which provides development, production and post-production funding to filmmakers from Qatar, and first- and second-time filmmakers from around the world. The Grants Programme:

• Seeks out original voices in film
• Develops a community of filmmakers among its alumni
• Encourages cross-pollination and creative interaction among artists
• Offers creative development support throughout the life cycle of films

Doha Film Institute Co-Financing, which invests in film production through strategic partnerships with film projects that:

• Are culturally relevant and commercially viable
• Encourage co-production opportunities between international and Qatar-based filmmakers
• Provide training and internship opportunities at all stages of production for Qatari filmmakers
• Strengthen the industry of the Gulf region by providing opportunities for development and collaboration

Doha Film Institute’s focus on the growth and evolution of Qatar’s film community includes providing creative and logistical support for, and financial contributions to, work by filmmakers from Qatar. Filmmakers with projects at any stage of evolution are invited to contact the Institute year-round to discuss exhibition opportunities, grants, co-financing possibilities, internships with international productions, and our creative development seminars and mentorship initiatives.

The goals of the Doha Film Institute Grants Programme are to identify new talent, seek out new cinematic voices and discover universally resonant stories. The Institute’s approach is to champion projects whose thrust is to explore, expand and cultivate authentic storytelling, with a keen interest in propelling forward contemporary work that demonstrates a deep understanding of the specific possibilities of the medium of cinema.

Further, the Institute will continue to provide creative and technical training and mentoring through its Learning Initiatives. Qatari screenwriters, writer-directors, and producers are encouraged to approach the Institute with film ideas currently in the early stages of development. The Institute will assist with the development, production, and post-production of projects through filmmaking workshops and in-house development, and help prepare applications for funding from the Qatari Fund as appropriate.